C-AA case studies
C-AA · Put your knowledge to work in context.
The NCCAA Certification Exam is the national certification examination for anesthesiologist assistants. NCCAA describes itself as the independent, NCCA-accredited certifying body for the CAA profession. The C-AA case studies are 5 cases and about 3,846 words.
1Ninety Minutes of Apnea at a Freestanding Surgery Center
A 34-year-old man (BMI 31, 102 kg, ASA I) is having an open inguinal hernia repair at a freestanding surgery center. After propofol 200 mg and fentanyl 100 mcg, he receives succinylcholine 150 mg and a laryngeal mask is placed; ventilation is easy and the case ends in 55 minutes.
760 words, about 4 min2Saturation That Will Not Budge on a Non-Rebreather
A 58-year-old man (85 kg) presents for outpatient upper endoscopy and colonoscopy under propofol sedation. Before the endoscope is passed, the gastroenterologist sprays the posterior pharynx with three 1-second bursts of 20% benzocaine.
753 words, about 4 min3Severe Aortic Stenosis, a Fractured Hip, and Dual Antiplatelet Therapy
A 78-year-old woman (52 kg) is admitted at 22:00 with a displaced femoral neck fracture after a fall. She reports two episodes of exertional syncope in the past month.
788 words, about 4 min4Desaturation Eighteen Minutes Into One-Lung Ventilation
A 62-year-old man (78 kg, 172 cm) is undergoing video-assisted right upper lobectomy for adenocarcinoma. After induction with propofol and rocuronium, a 37 Fr left-sided double-lumen tube is placed and its position confirmed fiberoptically with the patient supine.
768 words, about 4 min5Respiratory Depression in the PACU and a PCA Programming Discrepancy
A 68-year-old man (95 kg, OSA, uses CPAP at home) is recovering in the PACU 45 minutes after total knee arthroplasty under spinal anesthesia with 0.5% hyperbaric bupivacaine 12 mg plus intrathecal morphine 300 mcg. He also received IV hydromorphone 1 mg in the operating room near the end of the case.
777 words, about 4 min